Chapter 8
The Wedding and Escape
Three o'clock the next morning saw me being dressed by Fleur before she got into her own dress.
"Fleur, stop!" I said, squirming when she adjusted my skirt "I'm ticklish there!"
"Oh, 'Annah, calm yourself." Fleur ordered as Ginny started brushing my hair. "All you need ees your 'air done and your makeup and you are ready to head outside."
I sighed and let Gabrielle do my makeup as Ginny styled my hair.
When they were done, my hair was up in a bun with small tendrils falling down my face with a slight curl and my makeup gave me a natural look in the dress I was wearing.
It was long and slightly flaring in the skirt area, it twirled nicely, I gave it that, and, like the dress I wore to the Yule Ball in my forth year, it flattered my figure nicely.
"'Ere." Gabrielle said, handing me a pair of midnight blue high heels as Ginny put a small diamond hairpiece in my hair "Put zese on." she said.
I nodded, slipping on the heels and standing. George had given me a few hairs from a girl from the local village, Ottery St. Catchpole, she had soft blonde hair (which I hated with all my beating heart!) and light blue eyes, making me look like Ashley Tisdale.
"You are disguised to be my long lost Eenglish cousin." Fleur had said. "Your name is Brandy. Any questions?"
I nodded "Yeah, do I have to be blonde?" I asked, taking my matching midnight blue handbag (that Hermione Charmed to carry my backpack for afterwards, to make mine and Emily's departure look less noticeable.)
Fleur sighed "No, after ze ceremony, you may change your hair back to black." she promised.
I beamed "That works for me!" I said.
Fleur nodded "Yes, yes, now go, I 'ave to get ready myself, or the wedding can't go on!"
I sighed "Fleur, there's never been a wedding that would start without the bride." I said
"Thank you, 'Annah, now go!" she ordered.
I nodded "Yes, Fleur." I said, walking out "See you in a while." I added as I walked down to a fabulous white marquee to where Ron, Fred, George and Harry were standing, waiting for the wedding guests.
"Hey, guys." I said, skulking about my appearance.
"Han!" Fred said, looking me up and down "You look amazing."
"Always the tone of surprise." I said bitterly, taking a tendril of hair in my two fingers "How pissed d'you think Fleur would be if I changed my hair colour back to black now?" I asked.
"Pretty damned pissed." George said. "Why, did she say that you could change it?"
"After the ceremony because I was so pissed about being a blonde." I explained.
"Nice." Harry said, looking up at his curly red hair from the boy that Fred took hairs from. He was going to be a Weasley cousin named Barny.
"When I get married," Fred said, taking the hem of his dress robes "I'm not going through this crap again, you can all wear what you want, and I'll cast the Body Bind on Mum until it's all over."
"She wasn't so bad today, actually," I pointed out "cried a little over Percy not being here -"
"Who needs him?" Ron, Fred and George said together.
"Oh, Skinner," I sighed "Here they come."
And right on cue, people from out of nowhere arrived from the back garden fence gate. It was the boys' job to seat them, and it was my job to plaster on a smile and say "Welcome."
I think I said "Welcome," "Good afternoon," and "Hi," so many times that I lost count, rather gloried that I was relieved by Mrs Weasley.
"Thank you, Brandy, you can help the boys now." Mrs Weasley said as George and Fred started bickering over who got to seat some pretty Veela cousins.
I nodded and went to break up the argument.
"I'll take it from here, Lugless." Fred said, taking me by the arm "Come on, Han, you know French, right?"
I nodded "Pansy taught me." I said.
"You mind helping me out? Language barrier?" Fred asked.
I sighed "Fine." I said, walking over to the Veela cousins.
"Bonjour." I said. "Je m'appelle Brandy et voici Fred." I introduced to the giggling French girls.
"Bonjour." they said together.
"Tell them to let me assist them!" Fred whispered.
"Ok, ok, easy! Keep it in your pants." I muttered before turning brightly to the French girls "Permittez Fred pour assistez vous?"
The French girls giggled and let Fred escort them to their seats. "Oui!" they said together.
"Thanks a million, Han! Or should I say 'Merci?'" Fred said before he was chattering with the French girls.
I went back to the marquee, where most of the guests were seated in dainty golden chairs as Tonks and Remus turned to me.
"Hannah!" they said brightly. "Oh, or should I say Brandy." Tonks said jokingly.
I laughed.
"Arthur told us you were the blonde in the midnight blue dress. Sorry about last night." Tonks said. "The Ministry's being anti-werewolf at the moment and our presence wouldn't have done you any favours."
"It's ok, I understand." I said, beaming at Tonks, who beamed back. Remus, despite the happy occasion, wasn't looking so happy.
There was no time to wonder why, Hagrid was causing a disruption. He had misread Fred's seating chart and instead of the enlarged reinforced seat, he sat on five of the dainty golden chairs, which were now resembling matchsticks.
As Mr Weasley repaired the chairs and Hagrid shouted apologies to everyone that would listen, I went into the garden and saw a girl with long pale blonde hair with a sunflower in it, and a sunshine yellow dress with a blonde boy with pale blonde hair with sunshine yellow dress robes
"Hi, Luna." I said.
"Hi, Hannah!" Luna Lovegood and her cousin, Archimedes chirped, making me pale.
"Uh, how'd you know it was me?" I asked.
"Oh, the Wrackspurts, your brother's must be starting to go towards you." Archimedes (otherwise known as Arch) said dreamily.
"Oh, yes, they'd have a field day with Hannah, they would have such a time getting her disoriented, with how smart she is and her powers."
I smiled, ignoring Arch's and Luna's (or as they were known at Hogwarts, the Looney Lovegoods.) comments on the non-existent Wrackspurts. "But, if we're going to talk around the guests, for future reference, my pseudonym is Brandy Delacour."
"Lovely name." Luna chided, turning to Arch "Hey, Arch, where's your date?" she asked.
I blinked "Date?" I asked.
"Oh, yes, She-Cat's here with Arch as his date." Luna said dreamily.
I squealed. Ramona "She-Cat" Capodebt was one of my best friends, and the comic relief for the group I had at Hogwarts until she left to take care of her orphaned adopted siblings after Death Eaters killed her adoptive parents.
"MEOW!" I heard someone shout, a cat landing on my head, which I immediately took off and scratched under her belly. "Hey, Ramona." I said.
"Meow!" She-Cat said, dropping from my arms and transforming back into her normal blonde haired, purple eyed self. "Hey, Hannah! Long time, no see!"
"I know!" I said, hugging her "What're you doing with your siblings?"
"Oh, I just left them with the neighbours. They'll be fine for a while." She-Cat said, smiling brightly at me as Arch took her by the waist.
"Oh, Hannah, you must meet my daddy!" Luna said, taking a hold of my hand and dragging me away to the marquee, where Harry stood with a man with white hair and egg-yolk coloured robes, with a triangular eye around his neck.
"Hello, Harry!" Luna said.
"Er…my name's Barny." Harry said, uneasy.
"Oh, did you change that too?" Luna asked.
"How did you know -?" Harry started.
"Just your expression." Luna said before nodding at her father, who was talking to an acquaintance "That's my daddy, Xenophilius Lovegood." she said. Showing her finger to her father when he turned around "Look, Daddy, one of the gnomes actually bit me!" she said happily.
"How wonderful!" Xenophilius said, taking Luna's finger "Gnome saliva is enormously beneficial! Luna, my love, if you should feel any burgeoning talent today, perhaps an unexpected desire to sing opera or to declaim in Mermish, do not repress it! You may have been gifted my the Gernumblies!"
"Lucky duck!" Arch and She-Cat said.
"The Gernumblies?" I asked my brother.
"Short for Gernumbli Gardenesi." Harry muttered as Ron gave a loud snort.
"Ron can laugh," Luna said, as Harry and I escorted her and her dad and Arch and She-Cat to their seats "but my father has done a lot of research on Gernumbli magic."
When Luna was gone, Ron came back with a very elderly woman clutching his arm. Her beaky nose, pink feathered hat and matching pink robes and red rimmed eyes gave me the impression of a horribly tempered flamingo.
And boy, was I right. Minus the flamingo part.
"And your hair is much to long, Ronald, for a minute I thought you were Ginevra."
"Who's Ginevra?" I asked Ron who mouthed back.
"Ginny."
I snickered. Ginny's name was really Ginevra? Man, was Draco going to laugh his ass off when I told him.
"Merlin's beard, what is Xenophilius Lovegood and his children wearing, they look like omelettes. And who are you two?" the woman said, glaring at Harry and I.
"Oh, yeah, Auntie Muriel, this is our Cousin Barny." Ron said, gesturing to Harry (aka Barny. Man, was I never going to let him live that down!)
"Another Weasley?" Muriel asked "You breed like gnomes. And who's this?" she demanded at me.
I took a deep breath and put on my greeter's smile "Hi, I'm Brandy Delacour." I said.
"Ugh, another French girl. Cousin, are you?" Muriel asked.
"Yes, I'm the bride's cousin." I said, trying to sound polite.
"Aren't the Potter twins here, Ronald? You said that they were friends of yours, or was that just you boasting?"
"No," Ron lied "They couldn't come."
"Hmm, made an excuse did they? Not as gormless as they are in the press photographs. That girl is probably off getting herself knocked up by that Death Eater's son. What's his name? Malloy? Montroy? Monroe?" Muriel asked Ron.
"Malfoy." Ron said quietly.
"Malfoy! That's it! Lucius Malfoy's son. What's the boy's name? Dallon? Drake? Dustin?"
"Draco." I said, almost snarling.
"That's it! Draco. Hannah Potter must be off getting herself knocked up by Draco Malfoy." Muriel said, nearly making me snap "Although you don't need lessons on that, do you, dear? You must have had what, five boys in your pants?"
I took a deep breath "Oh, look, the bride's going to arrive any minute." I said, finding the perfect excuse to get away from that awful woman. "I'd better take my seat, it was lovely meeting you." I added, walking off and out of their earshot to sit in the second from the front with Hermione and Ivy.
…
After a couple of minutes of greeting friendly faces (all of whom saying I looked nice and un-whore-ish, take that, Muriel!), I went to take my seat next to Ivy and Hermione, fuming as Muriel started ranting at Fred and George.
"Met Ron's Auntie Muriel, did you?" Ivy asked.
I nodded "She's a…she's a…" I started, trying to find the politest word.
"I think the word you'll be looking for is foul mouthed, bad tempered bitch." Ivy said. "She saw me and she said 'Oh, so that's the Duff girl?' and mentioned my mother being 'Jealous of her successful sister, Dolores, how I like her.' among other things." she added, growling. "Why if she wasn't a hundred and seven I'd bop her one into next week. NO one calls my mother a cow unless they want their lights punched out!"
I didn't blame Ivy for wanting to knock Muriel's teeth in, I kind of wanted to myself. That, and Ivy hated her auntie Dolores Umbridge (as much as I did, even more so, in fact.) and was very defensive of her dead mum.
"Yeah, and Muriel said that I had bad posture and skinny ankles!" Hermione said angrily.
"And she pretty much looked me in the face and called me a whore!" I growled.
"Did she say that Hannah was a whore or that Brandy was?" Hermione asked.
"She said that the reason why I wasn't here was because I was getting knocked up with Draco, and then she asked me how many boys have been in Brandy's pants!" I snapped, anger fuelling me. "Evil flamingo lady!" I snapped, making Hermione and Ivy snicker.
We were all laughing so hard we didn't notice the music start to flare up.
We all stood as Mr and Mrs Weasley walked down the aisle, Mrs Weasley waving happily to the guests in her new amethyst coloured dress and matching hat, Mr Weasley in typical black robes. Bill and Charlie Weasley came to the alter next, both of them wearing black dress robes with a white rose in their buttonholes. Fred wolf-whistled and we all laughed as the music swelled from the balloons overhead where Fleur and Bill were shortly going to be made man and wife.
"Oh!" Hermione said as we turned around as Fleur and her father walked down the aisle.
Fleur was gliding, Monsieur Delacour was beaming and hopping as they went. Fleur was wearing a simple white gown, but it seemed to complete her beauty. Normally, it would make everyone duller my comparison, but that day, Fleur seemed to make everyone there glow like she was. And when Monsieur Delacour gave his eldest daughter's hand to Bill Weasley, he looked as if he had never met Fenrir Greyback the night Dumbledore died.
A familiar wizard stepped up to the alter and beamed "Ladies and gentleman, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of these two faithful souls." said the tufty haired wizard that presided and Dumbledore's funeral in a sing-song voice, clashing with the toneless, hollow and joyless voice he used at Dumbledore's funeral.
"Yes, my tiara sets the whole thing off perfectly," Muriel said in a rather carrying whisper "But I must say, Ginevra's dress is too low cut, she looks like that Brandy Delacour."
I growled and ignored that remark at me. My mind wandered far away from the marquee, back to the late nights where I had snuck off with Draco onto the grounds. It seemed so long ago that we were both just screwing around, him teaching me to climb a tree, the Yule Ball where I first realized I wasn't scared to dance…as long as Draco was leading and the private time between the time I came around from my almost-death and from when Draco told me to run the night Dumbledore had died. All that seemed too good to be true, as if I was stealing moments from another girl's life…a girl that didn't have a lightning scar on her neck and a very high price on her head for her capture.
"Do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle…?"
In the front row, Mrs Weasley and Madam Delacour were sobbing into scraps of lace. Hagrid, judging by the loud trumpeting sounds from the back of the gallery, had taken out his tablecloth handkerchief. Both Hermione and Ivy and I looked to each other, our eyes all filled with tears, but their's were for a completely different reason than mine. My tears were for the youth I had, and I knew I was never going to return to again with Voldemort in power. I cried for the life I knew I'd never be able to have, the life Bill and Fleur were taking the first step towards. The life I'd probably lose because of my last name.
For the second time in my life, I felt a surging jealousy towards the new Mrs Fleur Weasley.
"Then I declare you bonded for life."
The wizard raised his wand and waved it over Bill and Fleur's now intertwined figures as silver stars rained down on them. Fred and George led a round of applause as the balloons over the newlyweds burst, releasing golden bells and birds of paradise into all directions.
"Ladies and gentleman, if you would please stand up!" the tufty haired wizard called.
I turned to Hermione and Ivy and muttered "I'll be right back." before sneaking off to change my hair colour back to normal in the Weasley bathroom.
…
When I got back with my hair turning back to its' normal midnight colour, I found that the chairs we sat on were now all around white clothed tables, a gleaming gold dance floor was facing a golden jacketed band, who were playing as Bill and Fleur danced as if they were the only ones there.
I took a Butterbeer and a sandwich from a white clothed waiter and leaned against the canopy wall, watching Bill and Fleur end their dance as Mrs Weasley danced with Monsieur Delacour, and Mr Weasley with Madam Delacour, still fuming with envy.
I guess it's true what they say. I thought. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Except with me, it's never a bridesmaid, never a bride.
I turned around and went to find Emily, to check if everything was ready for our departure.
"Hey." I said, sitting across from my now-redheaded friend.
"Hey, sorry," Emily said, looking over at Felix Lerwick, who was coming over "I think Felix wants to talk to me."
"Hey, you're Emily right?" Felix asked.
"Yeah, that's me. Emily Ravenwood." she said.
"So, uh…" Felix asked, scratching the back of his neck "you want to dance?"
Emily blushed "Um…sure!" she said, taking Felix's outstretched hand and letting him lead her to the dance floor.
"Emily!" I said, raising my arms.
"Sorry, Han!" Emily said as Felix started leading her around. "You'll be fine for a while, won't you?" she asked.
I huffed and muttered "I hate weddings." and took a sip of my Butterbeer as I was patted on the shoulder, making me jump and go for my wand. "Who's -" I started before sighing "Fred! Don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry," Fred said, swallowing as I tucked my wand away "you…wanna dance?" Fred asked, holding out his hand.
I sighed "Just one?" I asked.
"Just one." Fred promised.
I sighed and nodded "Ok, just one." I said, taking his hand and letting him lead me onto the dance floor.
The dance, despite the grace of the song, was clumsy and awkward, not the normally graceful and perfect feeling that I was used to with Draco.
"Where are you going to go?" Fred asked, finally seeing sense that fancy footwork wasn't doing it for me and going to a box step. "When you leave?"
I shrugged "Maybe somewhere out of the country." I said "Maybe not." I added before someone patted Fred's shoulder and said in a smooth voice.
"May I cut in?" a man's voice said under black dress robes, a black cloak and a white mask like from Phantom of the Opera, except I couldn't see his full face. I sensed jealousy pouring from his tone as he glared daggers into Fred's eyes until he backed down.
"Fine, fine…" Fred said, backing away and placing my hand in a black gloved one as a new song started to play.
"I hope you know…" I said nervously looking into two pools of blue grey eyes "that I'm already taken, this dance doesn't mean anything." I said, feeling the Polyjuice Potion start to wear off.
The man smirked "Please," he said "I'm positive your boyfriend won't mind it if you were dancing with me, instead of a Weasley."
I swallowed, nervous about this man, but at the same time, feeling as if something about him was right. Tall, dark, mysterious…those grey eyes, the exact way I felt when he twirled me around the dance floor and out of the canopy like Draco always did.
"You look beautiful tonight, my birthday girl." the not-so-mysterious man said with a smirk before I noticed where I was. Outside the canopy, in the light of the full moon.
I drew my wand and pointed it at the mystery man's hair "Finite!" I breathed.
The hair of the mystery man lightened from its dark brown to the pale platinum blond that I knew so well. I gasped, ripping off the Phantom's mask.
"Draco!" I breathed, overjoyed and scared all at the same time "What are you doing here?! They'll find out who you are! There are Aurors here and they'll send you to Azkaban and possibly -" I started before Draco kissed me.
"Hannah, I've come to warn you." Draco said when he pulled away "Scrimgeour…he's dead. The Ministry's fallen. They're coming. They're coming for you and Potter."
I paled. "I knew it." I breathed weakly. "I should have left sooner."
"Go." Draco said, looking me deep in the eyes. "You have to go now. Before they arrive."
"But what about you?" I asked.
"I have to stay, if I go, they'll want to track you down even more." Draco said as a flash of silver flew behind me. "They'll think that I've ran off to be with you."
"But you'll be safe if you're in hiding!" I said, tears springing to my eyes. "At least more so than being a Death Eater!"
"I'll find a way." Draco said "I'll find a way to leave and keep my mother safe, and then I'll come and find you." Draco vowed. "We will be together." he promised.
"And what if you don't?" I asked.
"I will." Draco said "No matter how long it takes." he said before the canopy started ringing with screams and the telltale cracking of Apparation.
I blinked, tears falling down my face. "I love you." I whispered.
Draco nodded, Summoning my handbag and handing it to me "As I love you." he said before cloaked Death Eaters started rushing through "Now go! GO!"
I ran, tears blinding me as I screamed for Emily and I turned around to find Draco locking gazes with me.
"GO HANNAH! LEAVE RAVENWOOD!" Draco screamed as the Death Eaters started dragging people that stayed behind.
I looked him in the eyes one last time before I spun on my heel and Apparated away by myself.
I'll never forget the look he gave me, the way his eyes burned. They just screamed that he was going to track me down and be with me, even if he had to destroy everything in his path to do it.
